Amusement ride



June 24, 1930. I H. G. TRAVER ,7 7,

AMUSEMENT RIDE Filed Feb. 21, 1929 INVENTbR f1. 6. Traver ATTIVORNYE Patented June 24, 1930 y UNITED STATES [sunn GJrnnvnnor BEAVER FALLS, PENN YLVANIA 2 p AMUSEMENT RIDE Application fil-ed l ebruary 21, 1929. Serial No. 341,620.

' This invention relates to amusement rides, and particularly of the type wherein a circular undulating track is arranged concentric thereof with a fixed verticalsupport from 5 which extend radial sweeps mounted at their inner ends upon the support to rotate about support and have movement in, a vertical direction, the outer ends of the sweeps being supported by traction Wheels engaging upon the track, passenger carriers being-mounted upon the sweeps, and the sweeps with the carriers propelledabout the trackfby a motor fixedly mounted upon the sweep and having a driving connection with the sweep supporting wheel. In the present ride instead-of the passenger cars being mounted upon the sweeps they are mounted upon links pivotally connected with thesweeps. In this form of ride with the .motors fixedly mounted upon the sweeps the stressand strains of the driv-' ing torque of the motor'in the transmission of its power to the traction wheels are trans,- mitted to and taken up in the sweep and in the pivot support thereof; on thecentral support as a bending stress with the result that not only does the materialof the sweep become crystallized but also the pivot support of the sweeps requiring constant inspection and re sulting in frequent renewal of the sweeps.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage by providing means torelieve the sweep on the stresses and strains of'the driving torque of the motor and to transmit and take upsuch torsional driving stresses of the motor in the track struc-,

ture, said means being also adapted to serve Figure 2 is a plan view, on anenlarged' scale, showing the manner ofconnecting the sweep connecting links with the sweeps, the motor mounting means and sweep supporting traction Wheel, and the mean f r rans I direction.

mitting and taking up the torsional driving strain of the motor in the track structure.

Figure 3 is a View looking at the bottom of Figure 2 and in addition showing the motor mounted on its support and gearing for transmitting the powerof'the motor to the sweep supporting traction wheel. I

' Fgure 4 is a view taken on the line 4 -4 of Figure 2 looking in the direction of thearrows to show the mounting of the motor'cc on the sweep; and

Figure 5 is'a View taken on the line 55 of Figure 2 looking 'inth'e'direction of the arrows and showing a portion of the means :tor'transmitting the torsional driving stresses 6.? of the motor to the track structure. I

"In carrying out the invention there is provided a vertical support 6 mountedin a suitable supporting structure as by imbedding in a concrete base, a circular track rail 7 hav- I ing up and down undulations and mounted upon a suitablesupporting structure S is arranged concentrically of the central support 6. A head 8 is rotatably mounted on the central support to which sweeps are connected to participate in the movement of the head and also permit of the outer ends of the sweeps to have movement in a vertical The sweeps are of tubular structure and to reinforce the sametie rods 10 are secured at opposite ends to the sweeps and intermediate the ends engage braces 11 mounted upon the sweeps. The outer ends of the sweeps are supported upon the track by traction wheels 12 rotatably mounted on axles 13 fixed to and extending outwardly from the sweeps. The outer ends of the sweeps are connected by links 14, 15 pivotal- 1y connected with the sweeps, as by mounting upon'the wheel supporting axles 13, as shown 9 in Figure 2, said links also serving as-supports for passenger carriers or cars 16, in the present instance simulating a tumble bug and arranged with a circular seatin the top.

. I l The car carrying sweeps are propelled" aroundfthe track by electricmotors, shown in a conventional manner at M; For illustrative purposes two of such motors are shown, although a greater number may be provided if necessary. 0 9 of Said m tors is mounted on an end sweep and the other upon the successive alternate sweep. The power of the motor is transmitted to the traction wheel 12 mounted on its associated sweep by suitable power transmission mechanism, and shown as comprising a sprocket chain 18 passing around sprocket wheels 19 and 20 rotatable with the motor shaft and traction Wheel.

To relieve the motor carrying sweep of the torsional driving stress of the motor and the consequent exerting or bending vstrain therestructed of angle ironis secured at one and,

as at 25, to the motor mounting bracket, in the present instance to the innerend. The arm or brace extends ina direction longitudinally of and toward the track rail, with the intermediate portion ofiset downwardly and the free end extending in a plane substantially parallel with but below the track rail. A bracket 26 is fixed to the free end of the brace arm, said bracket having a portion of U shape extending above and transversely of the J track rail. A flanged wheel 27 is rotatably carried within the U-portion of the bracket, as by mounting on a sprocket 28 fixed at the ends in the opposite legs of said U portion of the bracket, the wheel being operatively positioned or tractionally engaging upon the track rail, as clearly shown in Figure 3. T he motor is suitably connected with a source of power, as by conductors 29 carried by a cable extended through the sweep. In the transmitting of the power of the motor to the sweep supporting traction wheel the driving torque of the motor would efiect a rotative movement of the motor mounting bracket on the sweep. However, by the provision of the brace arm 24 the driving torque of the motor will exert a force upon said brace which is transmitted through the wvheel 27 carried thereby andengaging with the t-rack to the track rail thuspreventing rotation of the motorjbracket onthe sweep and transmitting and taking up the torsional driving stresses andstrains of the motor in thetrack supporting structure through the track rail. It will be obvious that this arrangement not. only is the sweep relieved of the torsional driving stresses and strains of the motor but that the motor brace arm will also serve as an auxiliary support for the motor carrying sweep.

Having thus described my invention I claim;

1. In amusement rides, a circular track, a sweep pivotally supported centrally of the track and carrying a wheel to support the sweep upon and run about the track, a motor mounted on the sweep having a driving c011- nection with the sweep supporting wheel to propel the wheel about the track the sweep aboutthe central support, and means secured to the motor operatively positioned upon and moved around the track with the sweep and take up the driving torque of the motor in the track structure.

2. Amusement rides as claimed in claim 1,

rying bracket and a wheel carri y i arm operatively position upon theit'rack.

4:. Amusement rides as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the means to transmit and; take up.

the driving torque of the motor in the track structure comprises a rigid arm fixed at one end to the motor'mounting', a'bracket fixed to the arm having a yoke shaped portion to extend above and transverselyof the track,

and a wheel rotatably carried within theyoke:

portion of the bracket operatively positioned upon the track. 5 V

5. In amusement rides, a circular track rail a support centrally of the track, a series of radial sweeps mounted at one endupon and rotatable about the central supports, wheels supporting the sweeps upon the track, links pivotally connecting the sweeps at the outer ends and adaptedfor the mounting of passenger carrier's thereon, a motorlo'osely mounted 'on a sweep and having a driving connection with the supporting wheel for said sweeps to propel the sweeps with the pas senger carriers around the track, and means secured to the motor mounting and tractionally positioned upon the track to takerup the torsional driving stress of the motor. r

6. Amusement rides as claimed in claim 5, wherein the means to take up the driving stress of the motor comprises a rigid arm fixed to the motor mounting and carrying a it's wheel operatively positioned upon the track rail and alsoserve as an auxiliary support for the motor carrying sweep.

Signed at Beaver remain the county of Beaver'and State of Pennsylvania, this 16th of February, 1929.

HARRY G. TRAVER. p 

